Lantern



s. HUMBER. LANTERN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 19 19.

1,414,414, Patented May 2, 1922. I" 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE26, 1919.

1,414,414, Bntented. May 2,1922.

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GUSTAVE HUMBER, 0F DENVER, COLORADO.

' Application filed June 26,

To all whom it may concern Be it' known that I, GUSTAVE Hirnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, county of Denver, and State of Colo rado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lanterns, and particularly to lanterns especially'adapted for use by railway men for giving signals.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of the class described by means of which either red or white signals may be given without necessitating the change of any of the parts of the device. A further object ofmy invention is to provide a device as mentioned which shall be as readily ordinary signallantern. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view, my invention consists generally in a body portion adapted to contain an electric battery, a )air of lamps on said body adapted to give di erent colored signals when energized, a handle, and a switch for selectively energizing either of said lamps as desired. My invention further consists in a device as mentioned in which the lamps arearranged on opposite sides of the body portion so that the light from one will niit deflectupon the other, thereby avoiding giving, a false signal. My invention further consists in a device as mentioned in which the switch is arranged on'thc handle of-the device in convenient position to be 0perated by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle. My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of parts all as will be fully described hereinafter and partici-llarly pointed out in the claims.

-My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of .thisspecifica-- tion. and in which- I Figure 1 is an elevation of a lantern embodying my invention. I

igure 2 is a vertical section of the body portion-of the same, illustrating portions of the handle and base.

Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating the switch.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the top portion of the body, and

.Figure 5 is a detail sectional view, upon an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner of mounting the lamp.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1922.

1919. Serial No. 306,771.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates body as at 4 and provided with a spring catch 6 to hold the same in closed position. The spring catch preferably comprises a spring tongue secured in any suitable manner to the closure and havinga perforation 7 to receive a pin 8 fixed to the body 1. See Figure 4. Fixed to the bottom 2 is a base 9 formed ofa suitable wire framework. 10 indicates a handle fixed to the body 1.

The body 1 is adapted to contain a. drycell battery 11 having the usualcarbon electrode'12 and the metal casing '13 thereof constituting the other electrode. Bosses 1 1 are formed in the-bottom of the body l upon. which the battery rests, and a spring 15interposed between the closure 3 and the top of the battery holds the latter firmly in positlon and prevents the same from moving while the lantern is being, used for signaling purposes.

Arranged upon the top and bottom of the body 1 are the signal lamps 16 and 17,,respectively. These lamps may be of different colors, but are preferably white, and are covered by globes l8 and 19, respectively, one of which may be colored red and the other left white.

Suitable means must be employed for insulating the lamp socket from, the body of the lantcrn, and'as the same construction is employed for both the upper and lpwei lamps, the description of one will be sulficicnt. To this end, the bottom and top of the body is provided with a preferably centrally-disposed aperture and over the edge of the peripheryof the aperture is crimped a'metal ring 20 between which and the-metal of he body is arranged insulation 21. A socket block 22 is soldered or otherwise scoured to the ring 20 and provided. with a threaded central a; erture 23 to receive the lamp 17 with its end projecting inwardly. The periphery of the block 22 is threaded to receive a ring 24 which engages a base flange on the globe 18 or It) to hold the same in position. The arrangement is such that when the battery is within the body and the lamps in position. the. end of the lamp lb will contact the projecting end ofthc carbon electrode l2 and the end of the lamp 1? will contact the zinc bottom of the batlery, as shown clearly in Figure 2. Suitable msu aranged between the layers of said insulation are flat metal strips formingconductors. The

handle 10 is tubular to receive conductors extending from the afore-mentioned conductors to the switch arranged in the upper end of the handle. This switch comprises a pair of contacts 26 and 27 for'one of the lamps and similar contacts 28 and 29 for the other lamp. These are supported in any suitable manner by insulation '30. IA sliding block 31 is provided within the handle and equipped with armatures 32 to bridge the gap between the respective contacts as will be readily understood. Any suitable form or construction of switch may be employed without departing from the scope of my invention, and I have, therefore, illustrated the switch diagrammatically only. The block 31 is provided with a knob 33 projectingthrough a slot 34 in the handle whereby the switch may be manipulated by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle. 35 indicates one of the conductors in the body portion which extends from the upper block 22 to a conductor 36 extending through the handle to th contact 28, and 37 indicates a similar conductor having one end contacting the'zinc shell of the battery, as at 38, and connected with a conductor 39 leading to the contact 29 of the switch. 40 indicates a similar conductor extending from the carbon electrode 12 to a conductor 41 extending to the contact 26, and 42 indicates a similar conductor extending from the lower block 22 to a conductor &3 extending through the handle 10 to the contact 27. By this arrangement it is obvious that if the contacts 26 and 27 are bridged the current will flow from the carbon 12 through the conductors 40 and 41 to the-contact" 26, to 27, through 43 and 42 to the bottom block 22, thence through the lamp 17 to the zinc electrode 13, thus energizing the lamp 17. With the contacts 28 and 29 bridged, the current will flow from the carbon through the lamp 16, upper block 22, conductors 35 and 36, to contacts .28 and 29, thence through conductors 39 and 37 to the zinc electrode at 38.

I claim 1. signal lantern comprising a body, a handle, a pair of signal lamps arranged upon the top and bottom of said bodyportion, respectively, displaying differentcolors, a battery within said body, an open frame base for said body, and means for selectively connecting said lamps to said battery, substantially as described. 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the means for selectively connecting the lamps comprises a pair of contacts within the handle for each lamp and a sliding contact within the handle adapted to engage either of said pairs of contacts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAVE HUMBER. lVitnesses JOSEPH J GREINER, HARRY M. Yosr. 

